Plumber License from Arkansas to Oklahoma: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division ↗
Yes — Oklahoma has a reciprocity arrangement covering Arkansas license holders. Apply to the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
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Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
Arkansas is on Oklahoma's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your Arkansas license must have been earned by examination, not grandfathered in, and be active and in good standing; where it is, Oklahoma waives its journeyman exam and the requirements below are what it still insists on. Oklahoma waives its journeyman plumbing exam only for applicants who hold an unlimited plumbing journeyman (or higher) Arkansas license obtained by Arkansas examination and held at least one year in good standing, under the Oklahoma-Arkansas reciprocity agreement effective 2024-10-21; all other out-of-state plumbers must qualify with three years of experience (or an approved education substitution) and pass the Oklahoma journeyman exam. One caution: these agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date is when we last confirmed Arkansas on Oklahoma's list; the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division link is the live truth.
What changes, Arkansas → Oklahoma
| Arkansas (current) | Oklahoma (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $75–$150 ($75 journeyman application fee + $75 annual journeyman license fee (Ark. State Board of Health plumbing rules, Sec. III). The first scheduled exam is covered by the application fee; retake/no-show exam $50 each. Master tier is $125 application + $200/yr license. Reinstatement: $150 journeyman / $325 master.) | $75 (Arkansas reciprocal application total $75.00 ($50 license fee + $25 application processing fee). Non-reciprocal applicants pay a separate journeyman application fee and a third-party exam fee.) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; a temporary revocable permit / provisional license is issued immediately upon eligibility approval and is valid 90 days | No board-stated processing time. |
| Licensing authority | Arkansas Department of Health — Plumbing and Natural Gas Section (State Committee of Plumbing Examiners) | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oklahoma sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Oklahoma's current requirements on the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an unlimited plumbing journeyman (or higher) Arkansas license obtained by Arkansas examination — not by reciprocity — and held for at least one year.
- License current and in good standing with no suspension, revocation, or pending discipline, and current on continuing education.
- Submit the CIB Request for Verification of License bearing the Arkansas state seal (originals only; no photocopies or digital copies).
- Not have performed unlicensed plumbing work in Oklahoma within the past two years.
- Pay the fees ($75 (Arkansas reciprocal application total $75.00 ($50 license fee + $25 application processing fee). Non-reciprocal applicants pay a separate journeyman application fee and a third-party exam fee.)) and allow No board-stated processing time..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Oklahoma accept a Arkansas plumbing license?
Yes — Oklahoma has a reciprocity arrangement covering Arkansas license holders. Apply to the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) — Plumbing Division under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Which exam applies moving from Arkansas to Oklahoma?
Oklahoma waives its journeyman plumbing exam only for applicants who hold an unlimited plumbing journeyman (or higher) Arkansas license obtained by Arkansas examination and held at least one year in good standing, under the Oklahoma-Arkansas reciprocity agreement effective 2024-10-21; all other out-of-state plumbers must qualify with three years of experience (or an approved education substitution) and pass the Oklahoma journeyman exam.
What does the Arkansas-to-Oklahoma move cost and how long does it take?
$75 (Arkansas reciprocal application total $75.00 ($50 license fee + $25 application processing fee). Non-reciprocal applicants pay a separate journeyman application fee and a third-party exam fee.); processing No board-stated processing time..
Can I keep my Arkansas plumbing license after I'm licensed in Oklahoma?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Arkansas credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Oklahoma CIB — Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocity Agreement (news; effective 2024-10-21; exam waived; conditions) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Oklahoma CIB — Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocal License Application (fees $50+$25=$75; eligibility) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Oklahoma CIB — Plumbing Journeyman requirements (three-year experience; out-of-state license pathway) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas Department of Health — Plumbing & Natural Gas (published reciprocity agreements: Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma; applications; license lookup) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas State Board of Health — Rules Pertaining to Master, Journeyman, and Restricted Plumber Licenses, eff. 9/5/2024 (reciprocity Sec. II(j); qualifications Sec. II(a); Act 457 Sec. II(k); fees Sec. III) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]